Rotating mischievous fun...
Rotating mischievous fun...
| Theme Park | Drayton Manor |
|---|---|
| Park Area | Vikings |
| Type | Flat Ride |
| Audience | Families |
| Opened | 28 May 2022 |
| Manufacturer | Zamperla |
| Model | NebulaZ |
Loki's impossibly interconnected spinning arms
Loki is a brain-puzzling rotating thrill ride which sits in the centre of the Vikings area at Drayton Manor.
The ride is the UK's first installation of a Zamperla NebulaZ and features four interlocking spinning arms arranged on four sides of a cube. There are a set of four seats at the end of each arm, which appear to narrowly miss each other as they - and the ride's central column - rotate.
It is named after Loki, the Viking god from Norse mythology known for their trickery and ability to change both shape and sex. The name seems well chosen, with the constantly shifting pattern of arms and optical illusion-like qualities.
While the near misses and spinning look terrifying to those looking at Loki and debating with themselves whether they dare to get in line to ride, in reality the NebulaZ looks much more impressive than the ride experience it actually gives. On-ride the rotations feel pretty slow, and the sight lines from the seats mean the near misses and prospects of collision are quite difficult to see.
Additionally, Loki suffers from a terribly slow loading procedure which leaves half of its riders sat suspended in the air while the other half of the passengers get on and off. It doesn't exactly lead to the most thrilling start or end to the ride.
Overall, Loki looks stunning but offers a lacklustre ride experience. While the rotating almost-colliding arms look fantastic from afar, sadly onboard it feels more akin to a ferris wheel than thrill ride.
Loki sits in Drayton's Vikings area
Control booth
Ride sign
Looking out over the roof
Waiting to start
Interlocking arms
Spinning around
Up and over
Look out
Seats
Near misses
Coordinated rotations
